Friend In Me
by the misanthropic lycanthrope
Summary: Kim, Robbie and Tasha have to put up with Duncan. Robbie and Kim get closer...Robbie/Kim.
1. Default Chapter

TITLE: Friend In Me

AUTHOR: Drifter (Werewolf Phoenix)

DISCLAIMER: I don't own 'em, nor am I making money from 'em.

INFO: Ignore the lame title-there was a distinct lack of inspiration there. Pairing: Robbie/Kim (eventually!) So if ya don't like slash, read this with your eyes closed. I will write more if people want me to.

* * *

"Hey Tash!" 

The words came from behind us, spoken in the now familiar yet annoyingly grating voice of Duncan Stewart.

Kim, Tasha and I glanced at each other and without having to speak decided to ignore him. However, this turned out hard to do. I mean, have _you _ever tried to ignore the most persistent and irritating guy ever to turn up in Summer Bay?

He sped up and moved ahead of us, forcing us to stop. "What do you want?" Kim asked in a tone which clearly told Duncan he didn't really care.

Duncan ignored Kim and took a step closer to Tasha. I glared and tried to look angry and threatening, but even though it was how I felt, I had never been able to pull off angry and threatening looks.

"Why don't you ditch these two girls and come hang with me?" Duncan asked Tasha in that affected tone of his.

"I don't think so, Duncan," Tasha replied. "I wouldn't hang with you if you were the only person left in Summer Bay."

"Yeah, you'd rather go and live with the snakes and bugs in the bush than stick around real people," Duncan said, losing his false friendly tone as he was shunned and unnecessarily referring to Tasha's past.

"Hey, that's way outta line," I said, not quite achieving the scary tone I was aiming for.

Duncan smirked and all but laughed in my face. "Shut up Roberta," he spat. "I don't know what a great girl like Tash sees in you, Four-eyes. She should be with a real man."

Although I didn't respond his words hurt, bringing back painful memories of bullies and my father...

"Like you, you mean?" Kim was saying, eyebrow raised, a look of amusement on his face. "Why don't you get lost and go find your fellow cockies to hang around with. You'll have more in common with them."

Tasha laughed at Kim's allusion to Duncan's insectoid ancestry. I grinned too, the look on Duncan's face was priceless. I wished I had a camera.

"Fine," Duncan hissed. "Stay here with the Geek-Girl and the Show Pony. I have better things to do with my time." He turned on his heel and marched off toward the Diner.

Tasha was giggling. "_I_ would rather be friends with cockroaches than with him," she said with a smile.

"Forget him," Kim said. "He's nothing." He glanced at me and I realized he had picked up on my feelings when Duncan had insulted me. Damn, I thought I hadn't shown that. I'd become pretty good at hiding my feelings when around Dad. But then, Kim had always been obsevent and sensitive.

Kim gave me an encouraging smile, then looked away and addressed both me and Tash. "Let's go get a shake."

We headed off toward the Surf Club. I took Tasha's had but kept my gaze on the ground as we walked. I wished Kim hadn't picked up on my discomfort before but he always had a way of making the situation better. Making _me_ feel better.


	2. Confusion

A/N: Gah, I hate typos. However much I proof-read/spell-check one always manages to get through!

Thanks to Jess, Kat-Girl, and ha fan. Duncan should be making a come-back in future chapters. Keep reviewing people, I'm more likely to be inspired to update quicker then!

* * *

I decided to put any confusing feelings to the back of my mind-it was easier than attempting to confront them. This plan worked for a while. Well, to tell the truth, it worked for about a day. 

Sunday evening found Kim, Tasha and I watching movies at the Beach House. Irene was out and Kane was somewhere with Kirsty so we had the house to ourselves. All thoughts of Duncan Stewart had been banished and I was enjoying myself.

"Why should she want to marry _him_?" Tasha asked of the movie's heroine.

"Duh," I exclaimed. "Because he saved her life, and look at all those muscles...Who _wouldn't_ want to marry him?"

"Me," Kim said with a grin. Tasha nodded her agreement and snuggled into my side on the sofa. I smiled.

"So," Tasha said. "Would you want to marry her?" She waved a hand at the heroine on screen.

Kim laughed. "Why do we have to marry anybody in this movie?" he asked. "It's not even very good."

"Hey!" I protested. "It's one of my favourites!"

Kim launched a cushion at my head and our banter somehow turned into a pillow fight with the sofa cushions. I didn't exactly fair well, the other two seemed to be ganging up on me for some reason.

"This isn't fair!" I laughed. "You have more...cushions. Everyone knows the pillow-to-pillow ratio in a pillow fight should be such that each person has an equal amount of surface area available for-"

Kim cut me off with a cushion to the head. Unfortunately I lost my balance and fell onto the sofa, somehow dragging Kim with me. I opened my eyes to find him knelt above me, his hands clutching my shoulders to brace himself.

For a moment I couldn't move or speak and all my hard work at suppressing my feelings was destroyed in that moment.

Returning to my senses, I wiggled free from Kim's grasp and stood up. I cast a glance at my watch. "Uh, look at the time!" I said, unable to keep my voice sounding normal. "We have school tomorrow and I, uh, need my beauty sleep." With this lame excuse I made my retreat, Kim and Tasha calling after me in confused tones, "Rob?"

When I arrived back at the Caravan Park, Mum greeted me with her usual cheery smile. "Want some supper Rob?" she asked heading back into the kitchen where Rhys stood making tea.

"Um, no thanks Mum," I muttered. "I'm tired, I think I'll just go to bed." As I left the room I could imagine Mum and Rhys glancing at each other with confusion.

Confusion is what I felt as I collapsed onto my bed. My skin was tingling where Kim's hands had been. Where the heck had this all suddenly come from? I loved Tasha, but I also felt this...attraction to Kim.

I'd never considered the possibility of being gay, I loved Tasha. It didn't make sense. Or did it?

My brain began to hurt so I buried my head in my pillow and, although it didn't stop me thinking, I did eventually get to sleep.


	3. Confession

The next day at school wasn't a whole bunch of fun. Tasha had pretty much forgotten about my hasty exit from the Beach House last night but every time I saw Kim I wanted to run and hide. It didn't help that he seemed to be on a I-Want-To-Talk-To-You mission.

Trying to dodge out of a conversation with my best friend without looking suspicious wasn't easy though. He finally cornered me in an empty stairwell in our free period after I had completely humliated myself in Miss Fletcher's lesson by responding to a question (which I hadn't heard because I had been deep in my own thoughts) by falling off my chair. I'm not sure how I managed that...

"Why the quick exit yesterday?" Kim was asking me.

"Uh, like I said-school night," I muttered, a bit pathetically. Kim gave me a skeptical look and didn't say anything. He was waiting for me to tell him the real reason but I had made up my not not to give in. We both stood there not speaking.

"Rob," Kim broke the silence. "If it's got anything to do with Duncan, ignore him. He's just a jerk, not worth it."

"It's not that," I said. "Well, I suppose he did get to me a bit, but that's not the real problem-Not that the problem is really a problem, it's just very confusing and..." Kim was staring at me, bewildered. "It's you," I finished.

Kim raised an eyebrow. He looked incredibly cute with his confused expression and dishevelled hair. So much so that I turned to walk away.

A hand caught hold of my arm and spun me around and I found myself looking directly into Kim's eyes which seemed much closer than they should have been. And coming closer. I could feel his breath on my lips. Oh my God, was he actually going to kiss me?! _No way, this must be a dream...Yet, there he is...About to kiss me... _I closed my eyes. I really wanted...

I leapt back, out of Kim's grip. "What's wrong Rob?" he asked, the cute confused expression returning to his features. "I thought..."

"You so thought right," I replied, my voice sounding shaky. My feelings of happiness had become mingled with those of guilt. "But what about Tasha? I can't do this to her."

Kim nodded understanding but I thought I detected a look of disappointment in his eyes.

The bell rang and we headed off to class in silence. The remainder of school passed in a daze, but I did manage to stay in my seat for the rest of the day.

After school ended, I headed to the Diner with Tasha. She ordered a shake but I didn't feel like eating and that, along with my silence as we slid into a booth, made Tasha suspicious that something was wrong.

"What's up Rob?" she asked, stirring her shake with the straw. I didn't speak as I wondered how exactly I could tell her what I felt when I wasn't even sure myself. My pause caused her to grow increasingly worried and I caught her look of concern.

"You know I love you, right Tash?" I started.

"Yeah," she replied, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"Well, I think...It's more as you love a friend, you know? Rather than a girlfriend?" Tasha just looked confused.

"You mean you don't want to be my boyfriend?" she asked, now looking a bit upset.

"No, no, no...I mean, yes, I do. But I sorta feel like I maybe...can't." I realized I wasn't making much sense. "Y'know how some girls prefer to go out with other girls, and some guys like to go out with other guys-"

"You mean you're gay?" she asked suddenly looking innocently amused.

"No...I mean, yes. I mean I don't know." I stared down at my hands on the table top feeling totally guilty and like a complete jerk until Tasha placed one of her hands over mine. I looked up at her beautiful blue eyes. She seemed upset, but surprisingly understanding.

"I know you can't help it," she said. "As long as you'll still be my friend." She smiled encouragingly.

"Of course, Tash. You'll always have a friend in me." I smiled, feeling slightly better. "I'm sorry." Tasha just smiled.

* * *

I hadn't seen Kim since our earlier encounter so that evening I went to the place he was most likely to be-the Beach. I found him sitting in the sand, arms resting on knees, watching the setting sun which cast a red glow over him.

I sat down next to him causing him to look up. He smiled at me but at the same time his eyes were searching my face for a clue as to what I was going to say.

"I spoke to Tasha," I said, looking out onto the calm sea.

"Yeah?" He sounded interested.

"She was totally understanding. I mean, I expected her to be upset, or maybe even a little angry. She could have punched me I guess, right there in the middle of the Diner, but she didn't-"

"Rob?"

"Hmm?"

"Stop talking."

Kim raised a hand to my cheek which I found was a great way to stop me talking. Even more effective was him brushing his lips against mine. I leant into the kiss, savouring the taste of his lips and the feel of his hand at the back of my neck. I closed my eyes and honestly felt as if I were floating.

Suddenly an unwelcome thought pushed its way to the front of my mind and I pulled away from Kim, uncomfortably shuffling back in the sand.

"You have to stop doing that," Kim said with a grin but must have noticed my expression as his grin faded and his brow furrowed. "What?"

"I don't know if I can do this," I admitted.

"Why not? You were all for it five seconds ago." He looked worried. "What is it?"

I looked down and pushed sand around with my fingers. "It's my dad," I sighed.

"I thought your dad was dead." Kim frowned. "Sorry," he added after his blunt statement.

"He is," I said quietly. "But that doesn't stop him from popping into my mind to tell me how much he disapproves."

"How do you know what he would say?"

"It's obvious. He disapproved of my interest in science, hated that I didn't like working on the farm. He even made fun of the fact I need to wear glasses. And he seemed to loathe homosexuals, not that he ever knew any."

"Look, Rob. You're your own person. You don't need to get approval from anyone, and that's something difficult to imagine when you have Jekyll for a father." He smiled and I couldn't help but smile back. I guess he had just the same father-son problems. And it wasn't like my father _was_ around to get out his belt...

"You're right," I decided as the sun dipped below the horizon. Kim laced his fingers through mine in the sand and we sat and watched the sky turn dark.

I thought I heard a noise behind me but dismissed it as a breeze rustling a bush. Nothing could spoil this perfect moment.


	4. Confrontation

I arrived at school feeling elated. After Kim and I had parted last night, I had gone home and slept...Well, like a baby, and no amount of History and Mathematics could change my mood. 

At least, that's what I thought. I didn't even have to get as far as class for anything to go wrong.

"Hey Tash!" I called as I joined her at the lockers. Unusually, she didn't greet me back and instead fidgeted uncomfortably where she stood.

"Uh, Rob," she said, gesturing around us. I didn't have a clue what she was trying to tell me until I followed her gaze and noticed that all the other kids in our vicinity were staring and whispering.

"I _am_ wearing trousers, aren't I?" I asked Tasha, but she didn't react. The door swung open and as Kim walked in all the whispering ceased. My heart stopped._ Oh no..._

Kim had noticed the others' strange behaviour too. "What's going on?" he asked. I shrugged.

Just then Duncan entered and Tasha's look said it all. This was all Duncan's doing. He had a huge smirk on his face and I knew then that the sound in the bushes last night hadn't been the wind.

"Ah, the two lovebirds," Duncan drawled in a sickly tone. "Kimberly and Roberta. I hope you enjoyed your date last night, all cosy on the beach."

I wanted to melt into the ground just to get away from there, but Kim had a different idea. Immediately as Duncan finished his little speech, Kim pounced and began to lay into him, shoving him up against the lockers and throwing punches.

Looking around, I realized Kim had probably just confirmed everything Duncan had told the other kids, banishing any scepticism they may have still harboured. After all, Duncan wasn't exactly renowned for his truthfulness.

The fight didn't last long. Some teachers heard the commotion and rushed out to break it up. Despite being beaten and bruised Duncan still managed to give me an evil grin before he and Kim were led off to the Principle's office.

I made it through the first few classes before recess. As soon as the bell rang, I rushed out of class to find Kim outside. "What happened?" I asked him as he leant back against a tree.

"Dad just gave us both a warning. Although, naturally he thought it was all my fault. Luckily Duncan didn't tell him what it was about." He frowned at the memory.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, feeling this was partly my fault.

"Rob, you didn't do anything," he said gently. "It was me who proved the jerk right. But don't worry about it." He smiled warmly and I no longer cared what anyone thought.

Kim's gaze slid over my shoulder and his expression became one of disappointment and anger. I spun around and was met with the sight of a large group of our schoolmates heading our way. Duncan was leading them.

They stopped when they reached us and gathered around, Duncan stepping up to face Kim. "You're sick!" he spat.

"And you are a worthless loser," Kim replied calmly.

Tasha appeared by my side. "Why don't you just shut up Duncan, nobody cares what you think," she said. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure that was true. Duncan grinned.

"Ah, Tasha. Your boyfriend left you. For his best friend!" he laughed and looked at the kids gathered around him for their approval. Some of them joined his laughter and I began to wish I were anywhere but here.

"I'm happy for them," called a voice from the amassed kids. I looked over to where it had come from and saw Max pushing his way to the front of the crowd flanked by Henry and Matilda. Matilda looked a bit disgusted but Henry supported Max.

"Yeah, it's their choice, good for them," he said. Matilda scowled in our general direction but I had learnt to ignore her.

The members of the crowd slowly began to agree with Max. Duncan stared at them as if they had all gone mad.

"You're all crazy!" he shouted. "This whole town is full of losers!"

Nobody backed him up. Instead people began to shout back, the general gist of their words being that he was a jerk and should get lost.

"This is sick," Duncan said, now looking a little more unsure of himself. Kim smiled at him then in one fluid movement, grabbed me, pulled me towards him, and kissed me. Hard. In front of everyone.

I had closed my eyes but I opened them when I heard people cheering. Duncan was storming away and I guessed that was partly why everyone was so happy. Someone in the crowd wolf-whistled. Kim broke off the kiss.

"Very funny guys," he said sarcastically to the wolf-whistler and his friends.

I just grinned. And I didn't stop grinning all day.

* * *

Das Ende 

I have started to come up with another story to which this one is an introduction of sorts. The sequel should be a bit more dramatic (but with less Duncan!) and be from Kim's POV. If you want me to post it on here, just say so and I will.

Drifter


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